by Jaime Lewis
He knew Mia was scared, in pain, and he would move heaven and earth to take it all away from her.
He helped Stitch get Mia’s foot propped up to try and help with the swelling.
“Ace, would you mind running down to get some ice, and then grab her bag on your way back?”
With a nod of his head, he exited the room and headed down the stairs. When he got to the bottom, Tink and Derek were still in the living room talking. When they saw him, Derek asked, “How is she?”
Ace blew out a deep breath and took a seat in the chair.
“I don’t know how in the hell she functioned enough to make it here. If she doesn’t have any broken ribs, it would be a fucking miracle.”
“She was running on adrenalin.”
“Where do we go from here? Do we contact the NYPD and file a report?”
“Actually, Tink and I were just discussing that. If what Mia said is true and she was targeted…” Derek paused and took a breath. “Ace, your sister could’ve been targeted for human trafficking.”
“But Mia said one of the guys mentioned ‘offing’ her.”
Tink shrugged his shoulders. “He could’ve been referring to as ‘offing’ her onto someone else.”
“Shit!” Ace didn’t even want to think about the possibility of Mia being pulled into a human trafficking ring.
“If she was picked out because of her looks like a specific order, it’s possible these guys could still be looking for her. My company has worked many jobs taking down these types of people. They are sick individuals, but men and even women will pay top dollar to get what they want.”
“She is tired, in pain, and on edge right now. My opinion is to let her get some sleep tonight. Maybe with some rest, she can think a little clearer and possibly remember any details she may have forgotten.” Derek said.
Ace nodded his head. His commander was a hard man and took his job seriously, but Ace knew the older SEAL hated seeing one of the women close to the team put in danger.
“As much as I want to take her home with me and protect her, I think she made a wise decision in heading up here. This is a safe place for her for now. If these people are still looking for her and can connect her to her family, they could come to town looking around. I think the best course of action is to act as if we haven’t seen her. Do either of you have any contacts at the NYPD?”
“I do,” Tink said. “What do you have mind?”
“I think we should file a missing person’s report.” Both Tink and Derek gave him a questionable look. “Hear me out. By doing so, if someone is watching, they are going to see that and believe that we truly don’t know where she is. This can also give the police some room to work. They’ll have cause to interview people. Maybe, co-workers and others she hung out with. You never know, maybe it could lead us to the stranger who warned her.”
Sheriff Prescott walked back into the room, and at the same time, Stitch made his way back downstairs.
Ace stood up and looked toward the stairs. “Shit, sorry. I got sidetracked talking with Derek and Tink. Is Mia okay?” He was paranoid about her being alone, even though they were all in the house with her.
“I think she passed out. I’ll take up the ice in a minute.” Stitch walked further into the room. “What were you guys talking about?”
“You got any beer?”
Stitch smirked. “Yeah, there should be a case in the fridge.”
Ace nodded, and they all moved to the kitchen. Once the beers were passed around, the Sheriff started the conversation.
“I spoke with Doc O’Neal. He’s about five minutes out. He apologized, but he got a call from the hospital and had to make a quick stop there first. I wanted to give him an update on the situation and how his assistance needed to be on the down-low.”
“Her ankle is the size of a grapefruit. I didn’t realize how swollen it was until Ace and I helped her get it elevated,” Stitch said as he leaned against the counter with his arms crossed, looking worried and pissed off.
“I know, Stitch. I tried to convince her to let me take her to the hospital to get checked out, but she was very adamant about coming straight here. Hell, every time she moved, you could see the pain etched on her face.” Sheriff Prescott stated.
Ace, Tink, and Derek explained to Stitch and Blake what the three of them talked about, and both men agreed that it was a good idea to keep Mia hidden at the cabin and treat her absence as a disappearance.
Ace ran his hand through his hair. “I don’t understand why she won’t just go to the hospital.” Ace exclaimed and started pacing again. At the rate he was going, he was going to wear a hole in the floor.
“She didn’t want her name entered in a computer system,” Tink said.
Derek whistled and shook his head. “Smart girl. If someone is after her, that is the first place they’re going to look considering they know she was injured.”
“Dammit!” Ace shouted, slamming his fist down on the counter. “I can’t believe this is happening. My mother is worried sick about her. I have to at least let her know that Mia is safe.” He looked at Derek. “Do you mind calling the Colonel and giving him an update on the situation? Ask him not to give my mom any details about Mia’s injuries yet. It will at least put her worry at ease.”
“I can do that. We’ll get to the bottom of this, Ace. Be thankful we know she’s safe here.” Derek turned his attention to Stitch. “You are officially assigned to Mia for the time being. She doesn’t leave this cabin without you.”
“What about the team?” Stitch asked.
“I’ll handle your absence. Plus we can shift some teams around to facilitate any deployments should they arise. Your job is to keep Mia safe until we get a handle on the situation.”
Stitch nodded his head and then looked at Ace. “Are you okay with this?”
“If I weren’t, I wouldn’t let it happen,” Ace stated firmly. “Keep her safe.”
“She won’t leave my sight. I’m going to go get an ice pack on her ankle and let her know that the doc will be here soon.”
Ace took a deep breath as Stitch walked out of the room. He did not doubt that Stitch would protect his sister to the fullest. Then a thought hit him, and he wondered why he didn’t think to ask Stitch earlier. Why did Mia even have a key to the cabin?
◆◆◆
Stitch made his way back up the stairs. He knocked on the door. He didn’t want to barge in there like an overprotective caveman. He wanted to hold her and make her feel safe and protected. Though he wasn’t happy with the circumstances, he couldn’t deny that he loved how she curled up in his lap earlier.
Getting no response, he cracked the door, “Mia?”
He heard a sniffle before she answered. “You can come in.”
He pushed the door open, and was surprised to find her sitting on the window seat, looking out toward the woods at the back of the property. It was one of the best views in the house during the day, and he sometimes found himself sitting in the spot just staring and thinking.
Her back was turned, and he noted she had managed to change into her pajamas. With her hair pulled off her neck and wearing a tight camisole type sleep shirt, he could see the dark bruising along her shoulder blades. Christ, was she bruised everywhere? He walked over and placed a hand on her back. She tensed up and pulled away as if his touch burned her.
“Mia?” He questioned.
She turned her head, and the tears that ran down her cheeks nearly brought him to his knees.
He sat down next to her and carefully pulled her into his side. She came willingly, and wrapped her arms around him, then buried her face in his shirt.
“Everything hurts so bad.” She used her shirt to wipe her face. “I can’t take the pain anymore; I feel so weak.”
The dark circles under her eyes indicated she hadn’t slept. She looked exhausted.
“You’ve been running on adrenalin, and now your body is coming down from that high. It’s expected that you would feel worse.�
�� He kissed her forehead. Even with all of the bruises, she was still as beautiful as ever. They held each other’s gaze, and as much as Stitch was trying to resist, he couldn’t. With Mia still in his arms, he slowly lowered his head, and he knew when she realized he would kiss her because she closed her eyes. He pressed his lips lightly against the corner of her mouth, being careful not to press too hard. It was quick, although now that he had a tiny taste of her, he craved more.
Her eyes fluttered open, and he saw the sadness and hurt in those brown orbs. “Stitch…”
Before he could say anything, a knock sounded at the door, breaking the tension in the room. She jumped, and he gave her a serious look.
“That would be the doctor.”
“Doctor?” She asked, looking a little unsure. “Aren’t you pretty well trained in medicine and injuries? Can’t you look over my injuries?” She asked him, her voice full of hope. He would have loved to look over her body, but for different reasons.
“Mia, you need real medical attention. I’m trained for combat injuries when we don’t have the luxury of professional doctors and nurses at our sides. The Sheriff called the town doctor as a favor. Once he heard the situation, he came right over. Let him look at you, please. You can trust him.”
He thought she would try and resist, but surprisingly she just nodded her head in acceptance or defeat. He wasn’t exactly sure which one.
The doctor stepped in, and Stitch gave her an assuring hug before excusing himself and joining the others downstairs.
Chapter Eleven
Mia gasped as the doctor pressed on a tender spot near her hip, and the older man frowned. When the Sheriff had called him and explained Mia’s situation, he was glad he had been on his way home and could make the trip over. Seeing her cringe in pain each time he touched her upset him.
“It hurts that bad, honey?”
“Well, when your ribs and back take a size thirteen boot beating, it is bound to be a little uncomfortable.” She tried masking her agony with a little humor, but she failed miserably. He took a deep breath and exhaled, wondering how this woman managed to survive and escape the hands of such evil bastards. Mia was close in age to his own daughters, and imagining either of them in a predicament like Mia’s angered him. He dug into his bag and pulled out an ace bandage, and began to wrap her ribs. She wasn’t going to be doing much at all for the next couple of days except for resting. He wished she would let him take her to the hospital to get an x-ray. Whomever she was running from, she was extra careful not to make her whereabouts known.
He stepped back from the bed and surveyed her. “Well, my dear, you are going to be very sore for the next week or so. Don’t be surprised if you feel worse over the next couple of days before you start to feel better. Your orders are to rest, rest, and more rest. No moving around if you don’t have to. And, keep icing that ankle, the ribs, and your cheek. I’m going to leave some pain medicine to get you through tonight. I’ll leave a prescription with Stitch for you to fill. Make sure you take them. It will help with your recovery. Let those men downstairs help you.”
His eyes traveled to her legs, specifically the bruising on her inner thighs. He had noticed the discoloration when he arrived but avoided asking that question from the start, but it was something he needed to know.
“Mia, I need to ask you something, and I want you to be truthful.”
“Okay.”
“Honey, were you sexually assaulted?”
A tear slid down her cheek, and immediately he thought the worst. This poor young woman had been through hell and back. He couldn’t help it as his fatherly instincts kicked in, and he leaned down to pull her into a gentle hug while she cried. Obviously, the frightened woman needed to vent her emotions, and he would certainly hold her while she did. Hell, he needed to calm himself down. After letting her cry for a bit, he asked, “Mia?” He pressed, needing an answer.
She looked up at him with those brown eyes that were now red and glassy from crying, and his heart broke. But seeing her shake her head no before she answered helped bring his temper down a notch, and he gave her a soft smile. He still had his arm around her and gave her another hug as he thanked the lord above.
He pulled away and stood. “Get some rest. I will leave both my office and cell number with Stitch. You call me at any time, okay?”
She gave him a small smile. “Thank you, Doctor O’Neal. I’m sorry that my situation pulled you away from your family.”
“Oh, honey, with the houseful of people that followed me home from my brothers, your call couldn’t have come at a better time, although I wish it would have been under different circumstances.”
She painstakingly slid under the covers, and he helped tuck her in nice and tight.
She smiled up at him. “Could you please let the guys know I’m going to lie down? I’m really tired.”
“I will, but take this first.” He handed her one of the pain pills. “That will ensure you sleep. Something you need a lot of right now.”
He couldn’t resist. She needed all the love and comfort right now. He bent down and kissed her forehead, and she smiled up at him before closing her eyes.
◆◆◆
Stitch sat on the arm of the sofa. His leg bounced in anticipation of hearing what the doctor had to say. Not much was said between the guys since Doc O’Neal had arrived, which was about 45 minutes ago. Tink and Derek sat talking amongst themselves about who they knew up in New York that could help. Ace, on the other hand, was back to pacing the living room. He knew this was hard for his friend. Hell, it was hard for himself. He cared for Mia so much.
Moments later, Doc finally emerged from the bedroom and walked downstairs.
“What’s the verdict?” Stitch asked as the doc walked further into the room and took a seat in the empty chair. He gestured for everyone to sit. Stitch was reluctant to. He felt restless, and sitting would only make him fidget more.
The older man removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes. Obviously, this had been hard on him as well.
“She’s in a rough state right now, but I expect her to make a full recovery. She has a lot of bruising, but I don’t think anything is broken; however, I can’t be a hundred percent without taking x-rays. Did she mention to you that she was drugged?”
From the blank expressions on everyone's face, it was apparent that this was new information.
“I’ll take that as a no. I don’t think she knew either. She told me that she was hit in the head pretty hard. As I was examining her, I noticed a red spot just above her shoulder. To me, it looks like an entry point of a needle. She said she felt really woozy. But that could have been because of the trauma to her head. Either way, to be safe, I took a blood sample and will see if it produces anything. Certain drugs can stay in the body for several days. I will drop it by the hospital on my way home and ask them to put a rush on it.
“Are you talking like a date rape drug?” Stitch asked, not liking where the conversation was heading.
Doc nodded his head. “That, amongst other drugs that can be used to incapacitate someone.”
Stitch swallowed hard, and he thought about his next question. It was one he didn’t want to ask, but it was inevitable. “Was she sexually assaulted?”
Ace raised his head, and Stitch could see the turmoil his friend was facing. Even Derek and Tink leaned slightly forward making sure they wouldn’t miss the answer. They all waited on pins and needles for the doctor to answer.
“There was quite a bit of bruising on her inner thighs, but when I asked her, she said she wasn’t.”
“If she was drugged, and then knocked out at one point, could it be possible that she was and just doesn’t remember it?” Stitch asked.
“Yes, that is possible, and I had the same revelations. However, the bruising stopped midway up her thigh. I honestly don’t believe she was.”
Stitch hadn’t realized he was holding his breath until he started to see black spots from lack of oxygen.
Docto
r O’Neal stood and looked at Stitch. “I left some pain medicine to get her through the night. She already took one. Here is a prescription for more. She will need them, and they will keep her sedated, which is best for her body to heal. Try to keep her hydrated, and as far as food goes, keep it light; soups, smoothies, protein shakes, that sort of thing. I hope to hell you find the sons of bitches who did this to her. No woman deserves what she went through.”
“We will. Don’t you worry,” Ace stated firmly that left no room for argument.
Stitch turned toward the doctor. “What can we do to make her more comfortable?”
“Just rest and lots of it. She needs to stay off that ankle. She told me to let you know that she was going to lie down.”
“Well, we all appreciate you taking time away from your family to help.”
The doc chuckled. “I’ll tell you the same thing I told Mia upstairs. You all actually did me a favor. My family can be a bit boisterous at times. Your call was perfect timing.”
Stitch shook his hand. “Well, regardless, it was very much appreciated, and if you ever need anything, please don’t hesitate to call.”
“Thank you, son. And like I said, be sure that young lady gets plenty of rest.”
“Yes, sir. She will be under our protection, and we will see to it she takes it easy and has plenty of rest.”
◆◆◆
The air was cold and crisp, but the twinkling stars' display coupled with the subtle glow of the moon was stunning to gaze at. In fact, it was one of the many reasons Stitch had purchased the cabin. There had been plenty of nights of just sitting outside, staring at the sky and using the peacefulness as a tool to help clear his mind and thoughts.
Stitch sat in one of the Adirondack chairs around the stone firepit. After he had bought the cabin, the first project he tackled was the huge deck wrapped around the entire house. Once the deck was in place, the firepit was installed along with the built-in deck lighting.
Before coming outside, he had gone upstairs to check on Mia. She was out cold and sleeping soundly. She looked tiny lying in the huge bed. It had taken willpower not to kick off his shoes and crawl in next to her.